Self-contained drainplug



SePt- 23, 1969 w. E. Po|..|1'z

SELF-CONTAINED DRAINPLUG Filed April 24. 1967 wmnrms INVENTOR. W/LL/AM E. POL/T2 Fig. l

United States Patent O 3,468,512 SELF-CONTAINED DRAINPLUG William E. Politz, Delphi, Ind., assignor to Stephen A. Young, Monticello, Ind. Filed Apr. 24, 1967, Ser. No. 633,039 Int. Cl. F16k 31/56'; E03c 1/23 U.S. Cl. 251-74 5 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to an improved type of drainplug primarily designed for use in a bath tub or the like, which drainplug includes in its mechanism all the necessary means to maintain the same in open or closed position in accordance with manipulation which may be resorted to by the toes of the user or, of course, other means as may be appropriate, the broad contemplation being that the closure can be manipulated into position to prevent outow of water or the like in the bath tub through the drain opening. Release of the closure so that it will move into open position or drain position may be simply effected by manipulation of a centrally disposed post or release rod so that the closure will move out of closed position. The movement of the closure is in a vertical direction and as indicated biased upwardly normally so that usually it will be in open position when release is eiected.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide a simplified structure which will enable the closure member to be manipulated into position by a downward pressure, retained in position against upward movement normally exerted by a spring, the means to retain it involving a. locking arrangement which is releasable from a position above the closure to allow the biasing means to operate.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel self-contained drainplug arrangement which includes in it all the necessary mechanism for operating the same and will positively shut-off the out-flow of water through the plug when desired, the closure being maintained in a locked or closed position by a simple device which is readily releasable upon suitable manipulation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a drainplug of the class described, in which the closure member is a part which involves the use of a skirt for contacting sealing surfaces and in conjunction with the body of the closure retain the liquid in the bath tub or similar container. The closure is movable upwardly and downwardly, downwardly by pressure upon the upper surface thereof and upwardly in response to a spring or the like which is permitted to come into operation by release of a lock part, the releasing being eifected above the closure and by simple manipulation of a release rod extending through the closure.

Other and further objects of the invention will be understood yfrom a consideration of the specification appended hereto and shown in the drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view illustrating the various parts in a position in which the drain is in a so-called ICC open condition to permit outiiow of water and indicating the relationship of the parts to effect locking of the closure when desired.

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 with the closure operating to retain uid in the bath tub in which the entire unit is mounted.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken about on the line 3--3 of FIGURE 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

'FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View illustrating further detail of a lock part and releasing arrangement therefor.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, the invention is shown as including therein a plug body generally designated 1, being a part having a cylindrical section 2 which is provided with a drain passage 3 therethrough, the section having suitable threads on the external surface thereof indicated at 4 so that it may be retained in a position shown in FIGURE 2 in a tub generally designated 5 and specifically in the drain opening of such tub.

The body 1 is provided at its upper end with a peripheral flange 6 having a seating surface 7 thereon, this being circular as will be appreciated.

The threads 4 are provided so that a lock nut S may be engaged therewith and by pressure against a suitable washer 9 engage a sealing member 10 to prevent leakage around the flange 7, all of the foregoing of generally conventional form and well known.

Disposed centrally within the drain passage 3, is a guide sleeve 11 being tubular and of relatively short length, mounted or supported in the upper end of the drain passage 3 by means of a threaded ring 12 having the arms 13 extending inwardly therefrom and suitably fastened to the guide or sleeve-like element 11 in any preferred manner. It is to be understood that the sleeve 11 may be integral with the parts 13 and the parts 13 of course being integral with the threaded ring 12 thus provide for assembly within the drain passage.

Suitable threads 14 on the ring 12 engage with threads 15 provided interiorly of the body and in the drain passage 3.

The sleeve-like element 11 is intended to support a cylindrical post 16 of substantial length, the post 16 having a closed end or bottom 17 which end or bottom 17 is provided on its external portion with threads 18 to receive a retaining nut 19 thereon, the nut 19 in turn supporting a lock spring 20, which lock spring 20 engages a lock part 21. The lock part 21 is a washer having an upwardly extending shoulder 22 formed integrally therewith, the shoulder 22 being located to abut the lower edge 23 of the guide or sleeve-like element 11 previously mentioned, so as to tilt the lock part 21 into the position illustrated in FIGURE 4 whereby the same will engage and grippingly co-act with the exterior surface 24 of the cylindrical post member 16 previously described.

As indicated, the cylindrical post member 16 is arranged to be threadedlv engaged at its upper end by means of threads 25 formed thereon with suitable threads 26 formed in a boss 27 extending downwardly from a closure 28 which is arcuate in cross section and round in plan, having a skirt and flange arrangement 29 on the periphery of said closure so as to engage with a skirt 30 formed of exible material such as rubber or the like which skirt is adapted to co-act with `the surface 7 of the flange 6 of the plug body 1 as indicated in FIGURE 2 when the closure 28 is in its closed position as indicated in said gure.

Arranged between the upper edge 31 of the guide or sleeve-like element 11, and the lower edge 32 of the boss 27 formed on the closure 28 previouslyV mentioned, is a spring 33 which normally biases the closure 28 into the position illustrated in FIGURE 1, the spring surrounding 3 the cylindrical post 16 as will be readily apparent from a consideration of the respective figures.

Disposed within the cylindrical post member 16, is a release rod 34, having at its lower end a release pin 35 exltending outwardly through a slot 36 formed in the post member 16, into a position about as indicated in FIG- URE 4 so that the said release pin 35 may engage the surface of the washer or lock part 21 to move the lock part 21 out of the tilted position disclosed in FIGURE 4 and thus out of its locking engagement with the exterior of the post member 16.

This releasing action is effected by downward pressure exerted on the knob 37 on the upper extremity of the reelase rod 34, this knob being positioned above the closure 28 so that it may be manipulated in any manner desired.

It will be understood that when the washer 21 is moved into a position which may be described as out ofthe tilted condition illustrated in FIGURE 4, the engagement of the said washer with the member 16 will be overcome against the spring 20 and allow the spring 33 to operate to move the closure into the normally open position of FIGURE 1.

It will thus be understood that downward pressure exerted on the closure 28 will cause the skirt 30 to move downwardly into engagement with the surface 7 of the plug body 1 and thereby close the drain passage 3.

Suitable downward pressure momentarily exerted on the knob 37 and release rod 34 upon which the said knob is mounted, will move the tilted washer 21 into an untlted position and thereby cause the operation of the spring 20 and permit the spring 33 to go into action for upward movement of the closure 28.

I claim:

1. In a drain shoe plug of the class described, in combination, a plug body, a drain passage in the body, a closure for said passage movable to open and close the same, means to retain said closure in closed position comprising a member extending from the closure into the passage, a guide for said member, means intermediate the guide and closure biasing said closure toward open position, a lock part on said member in the passage having means to grippingly engage the member when the axis of said part is tilted with respect to the axis of the member,

and means in the passage to move the part out of tilted position to release the gripping engagement, said means being lconnected to a handle operable from a position above the closure.

2. The combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the 4 lock part includes means to maintain the same in tilted position until release is effected.

3. The combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the member extending from the closure is cylindrical and connected at one end to the closure, said member extending downwardly through the guide to compel vertical movement of the member, and the means to` move the part out of tilted position comprises a rod positioned in the member for Vertical movement therein, a pin extending through the member to engage the locked part for moving the same out of tilted position, whereby to eect release of the member.

4. The combination as claimed in claim 3, wherein a spring is mounted on the member to bias the closure to open position, a second spring acts on the lock part to position the same, said part having a shoulder portion to contact the guide to effect tilting of the part, said second spring likewise engaging the pin on the rod to maintain said pin and rod in position yfor movement of the part as stated.

5. The combination as claimed in claim 3, wherein the guide is a sleeve-like element arranged about on the axis of the plug body, the cylindrical member moves up and down in the element, the closure being connected to the upper end of the member, a spring surrounds the member intermediate the element and closure to bias the latter toward open position, the part is washer-like and surrounds the member below the element, a shoulder on the part engages the element to tilt the part for locking, a second spring acts on the lock part to position the same, said second spring likewise engaging the pin on the rod to maintain said pin and rod in position for movement of the part as stated.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,134,415 4/1915 Peerstone 251-297 X 1,241,878 10/1917 Peerstone 251-295 X 1,451,944 4/ 1923 Dooner 251-103 2,385,016 9/ 1945 Mercier 251-297 X 2,443,697 6/ 1948 Smith 74-531 2,615,177 10/ 1952 Schlichting 251-297 X 2,763,012 9/1956 Duncan 251-107 X 3,333,815 8/1967 Downey et al. 251-263 HENRY T. KLINKSIEK, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

